Monday 31 December 2012

Once Upon A Coffee Break
Schloss Halbturn, Burgenland


Once upon a time,
on a particularly icy winter day,

in the middle of the country side,
there appeared out of nowhere

a beautiful castle
with a restaurant

that offered the weary traveler
hot coffee and the best croissant imaginable
at 9am in the morning!

Coffee Melange
Made with coffee beans
gathered from wild coffee trees
in Ethiopia and roasted locally
So good, I had to
have a second cup
!

Restaurant Knappenstöckl
Schloss Halbturn
Burgenland

Schloß Halbturn
was built in 1711 by
the Austrian Baroque architect
Lucas von Hildebrandt
as a hunting and summer residence
for the imperial family.

It is located 40 miles
southeast of Vienna and
open to visitors from early spring
into late autumn.

*

Images and text © by Merisi
First posted 28 January 2010

27 comments:

  1. A wonderful white dream of a place. Such a pleasant spot for croissant and coffee.
    The number of palaces and Schloss (plural is?) around Austria is just amazing.

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  2. Also for me two cups of Coffee Melange! ;-)
    This place is so interesting and your images are very beautiful and enjoyable, Merisi.

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  3. How nice! What a beautiful castle. Were you able to look around inside?

    Your experience there reminds me of the time I came across a Starbucks in the Forbidden City, after hours of walking, feeling tired and hungry. I had a mocha and a sandwich which I truly appreciated and enjoyed.

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  4. Richard,
    I agree!
    I just wanted to photograph the setting and the gardens, but when I realised that there was a restaurant that was ready to serve coffee (and more!), I truly felt in heaven. ;-)

    The Schlösser (sing. Schloss, palace or castle) often appear like a fata morgana out of nowhere in the middle of the countryside. This was a particularly lucky find, after an icy morning in the fields.

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  5. What a beautiful place to enjoy a cup of coffee!

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  6. Pietro,
    I rarely ever drink a second cup,
    but that coffee was so extraordinary!
    And I didn't know that it came from special beans until the kind owner told me about it, after the first cup.

    Cheryl,
    I can imagine how wonderful it was, the element of surprise and needs fulfilled!

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  7. Kelly,
    yes, indeed! :-)

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  8. You make it look so tempting!

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  9. I'm sitting down, smelling that melange, sipping slowly. Lovely views!

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  10. I can't get over the incredible light in all you photographs - they positively GLOW...

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  11. i think i too would have needed a second cup. beautiful castle to stop and take in the atmosphere.

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  12. Much better to hunt down the perfect cup of coffee . . . but what a very elegant and grand hunting residence.

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  13. "...like a fata morgana ..." Could it be that your mere presence causes these wonderful coffee places to appear? Though the Ethiopian beans sound as if your charisma was working overtime...

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  14. Maalie,
    and so it was! :-)


    Lakeviewer,
    one of those golden moments in the life of a coffee addict .... ;-)

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  15. Jinksy,
    luckily, we have had a some great light lately,
    light we were craving during those dark grey days before!


    The Good Life in Virginia,
    I wished I had a third cup, here, right now! ;-)

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  16. Bee,
    von Hildebrandt has left a body of work that is simply stunning, this country residence is among my favorites.


    Vicki Lane,
    I was quite taken by the tale of the beans,
    hearing it out there in the countryside, from someone who obviously takes great pride in the first-class ingredients he's researched and offering his lucky guests.

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  17. Oh just lovely. I like the way the shadows sweep the walls in the second photo.

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  18. It looks like I am not the only one travelling :-)

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  19. Oh this is all so beautiful. I am planning another trip to Austria in the summer, probably to Salzburg and then driving around the countryside. I will add this to my itinerary. Thank you for the daily dose of beauty from Vienna, now one of my favourite cities.

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  20. Well I forgot to comment yesterday
    and the day before
    Shame on me...
    Why does that gate picture look like a piece of viennoisserie/coffee cake?
    Am I hungry?
    Please send some bundt this way

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  21. I don't know how you get such a sheen on your photos. Stark yet with a glow.

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  22. What a fairy tale looking building- beautiful! This makes me homesick (just exaggerating) for European buildings:)

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  23. Oh, so beautiful, Merisi! I would love to enjoy a morning cuppa in such a lovely place! Thank you for taking me there! And Happy New Year to you! xx

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  24. Oh, I would definitely need a second cup!!! What a great place!! Enjoy your introduction to the New Year tonight, Merisi!!

    Sylvia

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  25. I NEED a second cup of that delicious coffee.
    Your photos make me drool.
    Again wishing you a Happy and prosperous New Year.
    Sue

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  26. A truly lovely place to rest and revive one's senses with that delicious coffee! Happy New Year to you!

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